This invention relates to building construction and, in particular, to an eaves shield covering that spans the rafter and fascia junction at a building eaves and provides for secure gutter attachment while also preventing ice, snow, and rain from backing under the roofing shingles and damaging the building interior.
In a conventional pitched-roof building construction, such as a single- or multiple-family dwelling, a plurality of roof rafters attach at a central, or peak, beam and run at a predetermined pitch to secure atop the outer structural walls. In some buildings, the rafters stop at this point, being cut to match the vertical, planer surface of the building exterior. In other buildings, the rafters extend beyond the outer structural walls anywhere from about six inches to about eighteen inches forming a pocket in which the lower border of the roof that overhangs the exterior wall is commonly referred to as the eaves. This eaves area is either left exposed or is finished off with an outer, vertical backboard or fascia and a horizontal soffit board connecting the lower end of the fascia with the building siding. In either construction, however, some form of finish gutter is attached to the rafter ends to handle water run off from the pitched roof.
In the building industry, roofs in general, and eaves constructions in particular, have attracted much attention and concern over the years. The term eaves construction in this context is meant to include the outer gutter in addition to the finish covering used to join the rafter ends with the exterior siding.
As to roofs, examples of this work include the invention of metal roofing shingles (Vallee, U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,561), a flashing system for flat roofs (Edwards, U.S. Pat. No. 3,405,485), a gravel stop spliced butt joint (Windle, U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,020), and a pocket rake for gable siding which conceals an irregular siding transition near a roof edge (Ramins, U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,538). Other examples include complex prefabricated, watertight roof structural systems such as those disclosed in the Simpson and Simpson et al. patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,112,632, 3,909,998 and 4,077,171.
As to eaves constructions, industry concern and invention have been widespread. For example, two Stanford patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,426,488 and 3,821,512, disclose integral drip board, fascia board, and gutter combinations with possibly the most recent patent incorporating an electrically heated gutter and downspout feature. Kreimer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,628, discloses an eaves thermal baffle designed to prevent air and moisture from entering the building through the eaves-soffit area while also permitting insulation to be forced to the farthest exterior edges of the building for an effective and uniform insulation of the building interior. Scherf, U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,749, on the other hand, discloses a unitary gutter, soffit, and fascia structure designed to cut labor and material costs while increasing strength characteristics by replacing the entire roof overhand used in the majority of conventional building constructions.
Concern has also been expressed as to water damage to building exteriors and interiors occasioned at this eaves area. For example, Hutchisson, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,585,324, discloses a metallic eaves strip designed for use in providing a finished cornice structure on a flat-roof building. In particular, this strip joins the roofing material to the building siding and uses an anchoring rod or wire spline to support a folded sheet or strip whose flaps are upturned over the top surface of the cornice structure and interlace with any number of plys or layers of roofing material. A conventional gutter is sandwiched and nailed between this eaves strip and the outer surface of the cornice structure, or frame board. Greene, U.S. Pat. No. 3,098,322, on the other hand, discloses a preformed metallic covering to replace the entire fascia board, soffit, and wood starter course for the roofing shingles.
The above patent references constitute only a sampling of the work done in this area. Nevertheless, industry concern still centers on possible water damage to roof decking and building interiors caused by ice, snow, or water accumulating in the building gutters and backing up underneath the eaves area and roofing shingles. Applicant's present invention addresses this continuing problem.